Prior names
Stenophyllus barbatus
Scirpus barbatus
Fimbristylis barbata
Bulbostylis eustachii
Common names
Bearded Watergrass
Etymology
Bulbostylis from the Latin 'bulbus' meaning bulb and 'stylus' meaning style, alluding to the bulb-like style base. Barbata meaning bearded, referring to the bearded sheath on the stems.
Distribution and status
Found scattered across the northern part of South Australia in rock crevices, margins of watercourses and low-lying flats. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens, Eyre Peninsula
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Small annual sedge with filiform glabrous stems to 20 cm high. Leaves almost capillary, usually much shorter than the stems, the sheaths prominently bearded. Inflorescence erect-spreading, light-brown spikelets. Fruits are brown heads. Seeds are light brown three-sided triangular nut to 0.7 mm long and 0.5 mm wide, with fine tuberculate surface. Seed embryo type is capitate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Collect whole heads that are brown, containing hard seeds. Place the heads in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the heads with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 95%.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA | 35,600 (2.28 g) | 50+ | 19-May-2007 | RJB71962 Lake Eyre | 19-Sep-2008 | 95% | +5°C, -18°C |
| BGA | 34,000 (1.92 g) | 100+ | 8-May-2011 | DJD2166 Lake Eyre | 1-Jan-2012 | -18°C |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.